I've been told that for humans, there are three major roles in life: child, spouse, parent. Though these may overlap at any given point in time, they are sequential in the level of importance over time. They're like rings laid within rings - you're brought into existence and given the knowledge to live life, you decide to share this life with a life partner, and you part with a part of yourself to create life.
Last night, one of my dearest friends moved on to her next role - the role of a wife... and she's moved away to the other end of the continent. There's a hole in the city where her house used to be. Her name screams out at me in my phonebook because she's no longer there. My importance to her has moved one level further as she forms a new inner ring - her husband. I've seen that wall form with my sister since she's gotten married and as she prepares to become a mother, again, my importance in her life will diminish.
As my friend takes flight, into her new life, out of my life, I'm forced to examine the rings surrounding me which seem to be getting thinner and thinner. And unless I start building more rings within them, I fear that I shall become a very lonely man...
